One of the largest dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in South Africa has had its entire kitchen and three other areas shut down with immediate effect.
After labour inspectors — along with unions — conducted a thorough inspection of Tygerberg Hospital, parts of the institution have been shuttered.
Unions last week raised concerns about the hospital not following COVID-19 procedures.
Three hundred Tygerberg hospital staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.
These include nurses, 20 kitchen staff, and several in the engineering department.
Unions say the hospital has a direct potential of becoming a major breeding ground for the virus.
Following a thorough inspection, the Provincial Chief Labour Inspector found the hospital to be in violation of a number of Occupational Health and Safety measures to address COVID-19 issues.
Tygerberg Hospital CEO Dr Dimitri Erasmus said order was issued for four non-clinical areas to be closed.
“Those areas are the engineering department, the kitchen, main stores and two offices in the admin building. Once we have deep-cleaned those areas and provided evidence that this had been deep-cleaned, the department of labour will consider reopening those areas,” Erasmus said.
Long-term issues have also been identified that requires further discussions, like the overcrowding in the trauma unit due to its design.
“I just want to indicate that we are deeply concerned about staff safety at this institution and will ensure that all measures are in place and become compliant and that the staff are safe,” Erasmus said.
Labour inspectors also ordered the closure of the kitchen at the Ceres hospital after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 there.
Source: eNCA
In other news – DJ Zinhle boiling after Social Media attacks her daughter, Kairo
DJ Zinhle is used to people saying things about her on social media but when it comes to her four-year-old daughter Kairo that’s where she draws the line.
On Monday, the DJ found her daughter being dragged on social media after her father rapper AKA responded to a tweep by letting them know that Kairo is 10 times richer than the tweep and she can neither read or write. The comment unleashed the trolls, with many attacking the fact that the four-year-old was unable to read or write, continue reading
Post a Comment